The New Face Mask Trend You Need To Know About

Step aside sheet masks, there’s a new skincare hero in town.

By Becki Murray

Sheet masks have been the overwhelming success story of K-Beauty’s skincare takeover, but a new face mask contender, the jelly mask, is set to challenge their ability to hydrate and nourish your skin – with a side order of ‘wiggle’.

Jelly masks, like their sheet mask cousins, can be credited to South Korean’s love for fresh, plump skin, but in the UK and US, it’s Lush Cosmetics leading the charge – which makes sense, considering the brand is known for its fun and inventive skincare.

Whereas sheet masks can sometimes feel like a wet fish on your face – praise be to Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Facial Dry Sheet Mask, £18, for creating one without the ‘slop’ – jelly masks are a lot more enjoyable to play around with. Their light, bouncy texture (like the dessert they are named after) makes them super easy to apply and you won’t need to lay down and hope they stay on your face as they work.

As jelly masks focus predominantly on hydration, expect glycerin to feature near the top of every ingredients list, alongside lots of skin brightening actives. Like sheet masks, though, this isn’t the trend for anyone looking for hard-hitting anti-ageing results.

Instead, depending on the type you choose, your mask will either provide your complexion with an instant hydration boost (use Dior’s Hydra Life Glow Better Jelly Mask, £44, before applying make-up for skin-radiance that no highlighter can copy), or work overnight (we’re looking at the The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask, £25) for touchably softer skin that lasts all day.

If you want to try the trend yourself, these are our picks of the best jelly masks for all skin types: